


Girl Anachronism

by toxic_corn



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Humor, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-26
Updated: 2007-04-26
Packaged: 2018-09-17 00:43:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9296720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxic_corn/pseuds/toxic_corn
Summary: A mysterious stowaway onSerenitymay bring Jayne and River together.





	1. Chapter 1

“Well if you’re comin’, come on,” Jayne growled, waving his hand impatiently at River Tam. He had better things to do with his time than wait around on a girl who thought it was more appropriate to braid her hair than come along with him on a boring ass mission to pick up supplies.

 

“It’s only fifteen extra seconds,” the girl snapped back, securing her hair with a length of pale pink ribbon.

 

“That’s fifteen seconds we could be on our way,” Jayne argued, folding his arms.

 

River rolled her eyes. “So we’ll run the whole way back to make up the difference.” She pushed past him and led the way out to the cargo bay.

 

“I ain’t that fanatical about it.”

 

“Then stop being so grumpy.”

 

“Who’s grumpy?!”

 

“You are!”

 

“I ain’t no such-”

 

“Hey!” Mal looked up from conferring with Zoe. “You two keep that up, I’ll have someone else go get supplies.”

 

“Okay,” River and Jayne said.

 

Mal blinked. “And you can stay here and empty out the septic vac.”

 

“Hell, Mal, me ‘n Moonie was just playin’ anyway, right?” Jayne nudged the girl with his shoulder, knocking her back a step.

 

“Yes, girly man,” she said through clenched teeth.

 

Both of them scowled each other.

 

“Can you just feel the love in the air?” Mal asked no one in particular. “Kaylee!”

 

The mechanic was walking down the ramp, holding a folding chair. “Yeah, Cap’n?”

 

“Remember only to take the names of pilots who have five references. I mean it.” Mal adjusted his holster and nodded at Zoe, indicating he was ready to go. “And use your best judgment this time.”

 

“I always use my best judgment,” Kaylee said, stung.

 

Mal raised his eyebrows and watched River and Jayne walk away, still bickering.

 

“That’s just mean.” Kaylee frowned.

 

“We’ll be back in an hour. Doc! Your sister’s gone and left without you!”

 

Simon stumbled out, fighting to get into his jacket and dropped an absent-minded kiss onto Kaylee’s forehead. “All right, all right, I’ll- _River_! Will you please wait?!” He went tearing off after them, still struggling with his jacket.

 

“Okay. Let’s go get some work done.” Mal and Zoe took off down the street, leaving Kaylee behind to sit and fume.

 

_Use your best judgment this time_. Simon, River, and Shepherd Book had been good passengers! Just because she wasn’t automatically suspicious of folk and chose to see the good in a body didn’t mean she didn’t have good judgment!

 

“Is he mad?”

 

Surprised, Kaylee looked up at the little girl who had just interrupted her inner monologue. Pretty little thing, though her face could use some washing and her long, dark braids were coming undone.

 

“Who? Oh!” She glanced down the street where Mal and Zoe were just specks in the distance. Way to go, Captain, scaring little girls. “No, sweetie of course not.”

 

The little girl looked skeptically worried. “But he said-”

 

“He don’t always mean what he says.” Kaylee smiled reassuringly but only got a hard stare in response. Her smile slowly faded and she glanced around the dock, hoping the girl’s mother would come along and lead her off somewhere. Those blue eyes of hers were pretty but having them focused on her for so long without so much as a blink was making her real uncomfortable.

 

“Maybe I’ll just go for a walk,” the girl said, finally. She glanced up at the ship uncertainly and then back at Kaylee.

 

“Okay, hon,” Kaylee managed after a moment.

 

The little girl backed up, staring at the ship. She mouthed the name and started frowning harder, then turned and dashed off.

 

Kaylee shivered. That girl had almost been like River when she’d first come on board.

 

~*~

 

“We got everything, Captain,” River announced as she and Jayne walked up the ramp, each carrying two bags. Simon struggled with the one bag he had but smiled at Kaylee as he passed her.

 

“Good. You know where it goes.” Mal turned back to Kaylee. “These all the names you got?”

 

“Yes, sir. That first one on there seems like the best. Five references and I had some time to go on the cortex. Graduated first in his flight class.”

 

“Did he?” Mal looked down at the list she’d handed him. “Kenneth Boggs…”

 

Zoe slapped the button that closed the doors. “We ready to get gone?”

 

“Just about. Albatross! Once you got that stuff put away, I need you on the bridge.”

 

“Yes, Captain!”

 

Mal smiled. It was nice to have things go right for once.

 

~*~

 

Yawning, River put _Serenity_ on autopilot. She hadn’t slept much the night before and today had been tiring in a number of ways.

 

She scowled. Next time they had to go for supplies, she’d request that Jayne _not_ come along. He’d found different things to complain about the whole trip into town and had managed to pick fight after fight with Simon. Hadn’t Simon always been the one to tell her not to engage when others would tease her? Well, people seldom followed their own advice.

 

Ready for her nap, River slid her door open and froze when she looked at her bed.

 

~*~

 

Jayne moved one of his pieces on the board. “Go.”

 

Mal stared at the board.

 

“I said ‘go.’”

 

“And I heard ya, I’m just studyin’ my options.”

 

Jayne snorted.

 

“What’s got you in such a funk?” Kaylee asked. “You've been actin’ meaner than usual all day.”

 

“I ain’t in a funk!” Jayne protested. “Why’s everyone keep sayin’ that?”

 

"Because it's true?" Mal suggested, raising an eyebrow.

 

"It ain't-"

 

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed."

 

They all turned as one to the doorway where River stood with a stunned expression on her face.

 

"The hell are you on about this time, crazy?" Jayne snapped.

 

"See?" Kaylee pointed at him. "Funk!"

 

"I'm not-"

 

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed." River paused, letting this sink in. "And the someone in question is still sleeping in my bed. She's quite dirty and I think she's staining the sheets."

 

Mal leapt up. "You mean we got a stowaway?!"

 

"A she?" Jayne stood up as well, nearly toppling his chair in his eagerness. "Lead the way, Goldilocks."

 

"River ain't blonde, Jayne," Kaylee said, following the men and River as they all went down to the passenger dorms.

 

"Well, I know that! It's just that she said someone was sleepin' in her bed and Goldilocks says that in the story."

 

"That ain't how the story goes, Jayne," Mal said. "Goldilocks is the one sleepin' in the bed and Baby Bear's the one to find her."

 

With a frustrated huff, Jayne threw his arms in the air. "Forget it, it was s'posed to be a joke anyhow and if none o' you wants ta laugh, fine. I'll just keep it to myself and you can just-"

 

"Were you going to get to the shutting up anytime soon?" Mal asked, hopefully. They'd reached the passenger dorms and River slid her door open and stepped back.

 

"There she is," River said, pointing.

 

Jayne, Mal, and Kaylee all leaned forward, peering through the doorway.

 

"Oh. She's a kid," Jayne said, sounding disappointed.

 

Kaylee gasped. "I know her! I saw her today when y'all left on your errands. When did she get on board?"

 

"Hey!" Mal called softly to the slumbering child. "Girl! C'mon now, rise and shine."

 

The girl stirred and blinked awake slowly. "Hmmm?" She sat up sluggishly and looked at the grownups in the doorway a moment before her eyes locked on Jayne and she said, "Hi, Daddy. Are you still mad at me?"

 

"Daddy?"

 

"Daddy?"

 

" _Daddy_?!"

 

River smirked. "Papa Bear?"


	2. Chapter 2

Mal rubbed his forehead. After they'd all gotten over their shock, they'd taken the little girl up to the mess and gotten her some water. Now they all sat around staring at her. "What's your name, darlin'?"

 

"Serenity Jane Cobb," the girl said, her eyes wide and frightened. 

 

Everyone looked at Jayne and he bristled. "The hell she says!"

 

"She has your eyes, Jayne," Zoe pointed out.

 

"Has Mal's eyes too," Jayne snapped. "Lots o' people have blue eyes! Don't mean I'm the father of every blue-eyed brat we meet!"

 

"Jayne. Face shutting. Now." Mal looked at the girl as she gazed around the table at the grownups surrounding her. 

 

She swallowed hard. "Why do you all look so young?"

 

"We use moisturizer," Mal said and then blinked in surprise when all the women sent him dirty looks. "So Miss Cobb-"

 

"Don't call 'er that," Jayne snarled. "Little crazy person's a _liar_!"

 

The girl called Serenity flinched at that and her eyes filled with tears. "Was I really that bad? This isn't a funny trick; c-can't... can't everyone come out now?"

 

"Everyone who?" Mal asked. "All personnel's present and accounted for, little one."

 

"Everyone," the girl repeated, looking annoyed. "Shepherd Book, Wash, Jamey, Nova-" When they all went still at those first two names, Serenity cut herself off, worry pinching her features. "Well, where are they?"

 

"Don't know about those other two, but Book and Wash have been dead a year," Mal said.

 

No one was prepared for her reaction. The girl looked like she'd been socked in the stomach. Her mouth opened and shut a few times like she was struggling for air and then her face crumbled as she burst into heartbroken tears.

 

"Oh, honey!" Kaylee flew to the child's side and pulled her close. "Shhh, it's okay."

 

"I was only gone a day," the girl sobbed. "How could this have happened?"

 

This just got better and better. Mal swallowed as he watched Serenity; this was no act. That was real grief on that child's face, in her pained tears. How the hell could she have known Wash and Book when none of them had ever seen her before in their lives? It was one thing to claim to be Jayne's spawn, but to act as if she knew all of them...

 

"Serenity." Mal went around the table to kneel down in front of her. She looked up from Kaylee's shoulder and sniffled, listening. "Where's your ma, darlin'? We'll take you to her first chance we get. Cargo ship's no place for a kid."

 

"My ma?" The girl sniffled and gave Mal a weird look. "She's right there," she said, pointing.

 

At River.

 

Jayne slammed his fist on the table. "You see?! She's lyin'! Ain't no _way_ I'd ever knock up the moonbrain!"

 

Simon glared at Jayne and then said, "It does seem unlikely; River's only eighteen. In order to have mothered this child, River would have to have been ten years old."

 

"See? Doc agrees with me!" Jayne sat back and folded his arms, glaring at Serenity. But his glare turned into a look of confusion when River got up and knelt next to Mal in front of the girl. "What are you-?"

 

"Little daughter," River said softly and touched Serenity's forehead. "Far from home."

 

"Oh, hell, don't tell me you believe this _go se_ ," Jayne said disgustedly. But seeing the two girls face to face, he started to feel uneasy. They didn't quite look like mother and daughter because like the doc said, moonbrain was too young. But at the most, they looked like sisters.

 

"She believes it," River said, nodding at the child. "She knows it to be true. Serenity Jane Cobb, called Nettie."

 

A look of relief crossed Serenity - rather, Nettie's- face. "Yes. It's true. I- I can prove it!" She fumbled into the front pocket of her overalls and pulled out a photo, handing it to Mal. "See?"

 

Mal took it and frowned at the blank picture. He gave the little capture a shake but nothing appeared. "Nettie, did you have this taken by a street photographer?"

 

"Yeah. Daddy said they're a waste of money because they-" Mal turned the picture for her to see and her face fell. "Go blank."

 

"More proof it ain't me," Jayne said, smugly. "I don't waste my money on that kind of crap."

 

"No, you spend it frugally on liquor and whor-" Mal took a quick look at the girl watching them in interest. "Horses."

 

Jayne snorted. "Horses?"

 

"Long as we got a little girl on board, yes. _Horses_."

 

"Think that's illegal even on the border worlds, Mal."

 

"You do _not_ wanna test my patience today, Jayne."

 

Seeing Mal had on his "no nonsense Captain face," Jayne snorted again but stayed quiet.

 

Mal considered the situation and took a deep breath. "All right. This is what we're going to do. River, you're gonna share your room with Nettie tonight."

 

"That's fine, Captain," River nodded and smiled at Nettie.

 

"Then we're going to continue on to Boros where we do the job we're getting paid for. Maybe we'll pick up some clothes for Miss Cobb-" He sent Jayne a warning look when he opened his mouth to protest. "- because it don't look like she packed for this trip. Then we take her to Pomona where they got a nice orphanage she'd be safe at."

 

"Orphanage?" Nettie leapt out of her chair, eyes flashing. She was showing more vinegar than she had all day and Mal took a step back out of pure surprise. "I am _not_ an orphan! My parents and my home are _right here_!"

 

"See, that's where we're going to have to disagree, Nettie," Mal said, sternly.

 

"No!" She stomped her foot. "I'm not going anyplace! If-if you have to leave me somewhere, leave me on Haven!"

 

"Haven's destroyed," Mal snapped. "Now you sit down and don't you backtalk me on my ship! You weren't invited but you'll still act like a _guest_ , Lady Cobb! That means be on your best behavior, no more shoutin' or foot stompin' and you earn your keep while you're here, _dong ma_?!"

 

Sulkily, the girl sat back in her chair and again the women of _Serenity_ didn't look too impressed with him. But Jayne did. Wow, he really must have made a wrong move.

 

"Now I know that you're all discombobulated right now," Mal added, trying to sound a little kinder. "That's to be expected. Reality ain't matchin' up to what you expected and I reckon that's not a bowl of cherries. But tantrums aren't the best way to make your feelings known; they make this captain go all cranky and mean." Reaching out he gently chucked her under her chin and felt relieved when she smiled up at him. "Maybe if you're a good enough worker, we'll keep you on board."

 

"Thank you, Captain," Nettie said, smiling brightly and looking for all the 'verse just like River.

 

"Welcome." Mal folded his arms and checked with the ladies again. Okay, he was in the clear. "You still tired?"

 

The last few minutes had clearly worn on her and she nodded, rubbing her eyes. "Are Wash and Shepherd Book really dead?"

 

"They really are," Mal said, softly.

 

Grief filled the child's blue eyes and she looked to Zoe. "What happened?"

 

"You never mind," Zoe said gently.

 

"A-are his dinosaurs still around?" Nettie asked.

 

Zoe nodded, glancing quickly at the captain. "They are."

 

"Can I play with them sometime? We used to play together when I couldn't sleep. Sometimes Ben or Vee would join us and then it got really fun." Nettie looked wistful as she stood up once more, taking River's hand to go off to bed.

 

"Who are they?" Zoe asked.

 

Nettie frowned hard at her. "Your _children_."

 

Mal cleared his throat loudly and tried not to look as uncomfortable as he felt in the face of his first mate's grief at this bit of news. "Bed time."

 

"But where _are_ Ben and Vee? And everybody? Why am I the only one here?" Sounding more and more distressed, Nettie was led away by River. "Why isn't anyone answering me?!!"

 

They all sat in silence a moment. Mal, Kaylee, Simon, and Inara looked at Zoe, unsure of what to say.

 

"Just what we need," Jayne broke the silence. " _Two_ crazy girls on board."

~*~

"Why aren't you and Daddy together?"

 

River paused in tucking the blankets around herself and the little girl. "Jayne and I don't see one another in a romantic light."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because he is much older than myself. And stupid. And boorish. And-" She saw the distressed look on Nettie's face and stopped speaking. "We're unsuited."

 

"No you aren't! You understand each other and make each other happy! Whenever me and Jamey are home, we see you two kissin' on each other and it makes me feel all warm inside. Like everything's all right." Her face fell. "Not like right now."

 

"I'm sorry. That may be true where you're from but here it's much different. There are no Netties or Jameys or Novas." At Nettie's disappointed look, River quickly added, "But we're all young. Children could happen at any time."

 

Nettie shook her head. "No. Zoe and Wash were supposed to have babies, too. If he's dead then that changes everything. No babies." She curled up in a ball and in a little voice whispered, "I wish Jamey was here."

 

"Jamey is your big brother," River said, not guessing.

 

"Yeah. He can be mean sometimes but he protects me. He's almost as good a big brother as Uncle Simon." Her face looked sad, so River gently stroked her hair.

 

"Hush now. Sleep. We'll be on Boros soon and we'll get you some nice clothes."

 

"Don't need much," Nettie said sleepily and drifted off, River not that far behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why's it gotta be _me_?" Jayne groused.

 

"Because you're Daddy Dearest," Mal said, jovially. When Jayne looked like he was about to pitch a fit, Mal got serious. "You and Giacomo didn't get along so well last time. I'd like things to run smooth for once. Having you there makes things not smooth. So take River and the little lady out shopping, _dong ma_?"

 

Jayne scowled. "Why can't I just stay on the ship?"

 

"It's a nice day," Mal said airily. "Growing boy like you needs air and sunlight." He walked away smirking, hearing Jayne grumble behind him.

~*~

"No," Jayne said firmly, looking up at the store.

 

"It's full of little girls' apparel," River said, barely keeping her patience. "We have a little girl-"

 

" _We_ don't got _any_ such thing!" Jayne hissed, pointing at Nettie who wasn't paying them much attention, looking up at the store a little dubiously.

 

River blushed. "I didn't mean that- I only meant that we have a little girl _in our company_. This store caters to little girls. Ergo, this is the place to shop."

 

"I don't care where air goes," Jayne snapped. "But I ain't goin' in there!"

 

Nettie looked up at him. "What's it to you? It's not like anyone's gonna think _you're_ the one dressing up all frilly." She frowned at the store window where a girl approximately Nettie's age simpered and pranced from side to side in a pinafore and patent leather shoes.

 

"I'm sure they have more than just dresses," River assured her.

 

Jayne looked down at Nettie in surprise. "Thought all girls liked frippery."

 

"I like it okay," Nettie answered him. "It's pretty, just uncomfortable as all hell to move around in."

 

"Crazy kinda has her mind set on us goin' in there," Jayne said, sending River a look.

 

Nettie let out a sigh. "I guess I'll give it a try. If I have to."

 

"Yeah." Jayne sighed as well. "May as well get this over with." He led the way inside, missing the wink Nettie sent River's way.

~*~

Jayne sat in the uncomfortable little chair in the waiting area, getting more and more agitated by the minute. All around him he could hear girlish squeals which he usually enjoyed, only these girls were several years too young to be any fun. At this age, they were just plain annoying. He stared down his third group of giggling girls who walked by gawking at him, talking behind cupped hands. Acting like they ain't never seen a man before. Pffft.

 

River came back with an armload of clothes and he finally lost what little grip on his patience he had. "Dammit, I know you don't have that much platinum! Put that crap back! She liked them overalls you sent in an hour ago; we can _leave_!"

 

"She'll need more than one pair of overalls," River said in a maddeningly calm tone. "And garments are sized differently; she'll need to try many on to make sure what fits, and then go up a size since she's still growing."

 

" _Ta ma de_!" He snarled, startling a nearby woman and the tiny girl she was clutching by the hand. The mother hustled her daughter away, glaring at Jayne all the while.

 

"Can you act like a human for five minutes?" River hissed. "I didn't want you coming along on this venture, either, but you don't see _me_ complaining!"

 

For a minute, Jayne didn't know what to say to that. Guess it never occurred to him that others might not like his company. But now that he did know it, it bugged him. Bugged him something fierce. He looked away from her, not wanting her to know that she'd struck a nerve.

 

Damn reader seemed to know, though. "Why don't you take a look around?" she asked all gentle-like. "Maybe you'll see something she might enjoy."

 

"How the hell would I know what she likes; I don't even know her." But Jayne hauled himself up out of the chair and walked around the shop, pretending like he didn't notice the stares he got.

 

A lot of the stuff looked the same: frilly and expensive. He snorted at row after row of ribbons and pink sweaters and stripey shirts and skirts with butterflies printed on them until he saw a dress that made him pause.

 

His ma had a picture of her when she was a little girl dressed up in her Sunday best. Her pink satin dress looked just like this one here, little cap sleeves and a sash that tied all big and pretty in back. Curious, he took the dress down from where it was hanging up high. Looked like it could fit the girl. 

 

River was sitting in the chair when he came back. Once she saw the dress, she raised her eyebrows then smiled warmly at him. "That's lovely."

 

"Just grabbed somethin' ta get ya off m'back," Jayne mumbled, thrusting the dress into her face.

 

Rolling her eyes, River took the dress and handed him the stack of reject clothes she'd gotten from Nettie. "Here, go put these somewhere. I'll give her the dress."

 

"Yeah, yeah." Jayne took a few steps and tossed the clothes in a pile on the floor, earning him the dirty looks of the salesladies. Just for that, no tip. Wasn't the customer supposed to be always right?

 

He reclaimed his chair and sat there for awhile until the sound of soft giggles made him look up. 

 

Nettie was in the dress and it fit her perfectly as she twirled around, making the skirt flare out. Her long, free hair swished around her as she spun and Jayne couldn't quite explain the sudden lump he got in his throat.

 

"Dance with me!" Nettie exclaimed, reaching out for River's hands. The girl took them and the two of them went spinning around the changing room, laughing delightedly. The resemblance between them was even stronger when they were both looking so happy.

 

It was amazing; River's good looks increased a million times when she had a huge, shiny grin on her face. She should smile like that more often... 

 

She must have sensed his thoughts because her gaze went from the child to him and his breath caught in his chest. 

 

"You have such beautiful girls," a middle-aged woman said, popping out of nowhere with an armload of clothing. "You must be very proud."

 

Shaken out of the moment, he stared up at the woman. River was just an irritating little stick he was forced to share space with since she was crew, the little girl wasn't his and was pretty damn crazy, and Mal had tricked him into this gorram little errand because he was a ruttin' pile of _go se_.

 

"Ain't mine," Jayne snarled and tore out of the chair, stomping toward River and Nettie. "Are ya all through now?!"

 

The girls stopped and looked at him in surprise. "I suppose," River said. "I think we have enough clothing and underthings for her."

 

"Are ya gettin' the dress?" Jayne demanded.

 

"I looked at the price tag when I was changing into it," Nettie said and looked down at her feet. "It's too expensive."

 

"Then go put it back!" Jayne snapped.

 

Crestfallen, the girl dropped River's hands and darted off to the changing room.

 

"You have to ruin everything, don't you?" River said, looking upset herself. What the hell was her problem? They couldn't afford the dress, so it had to go back. What, was he supposed to magic credits out of thin air? If he could, did she honestly think he'd waste it on a ridiculous pink dress?

 

"Wasn't ruinin' anything!" Jayne exclaimed. "I just told her to put it back!"

 

"You behave as if you were never a child yourself," River said severely. "Don't you remember what it was like, having adults speak harshly to you? Having your games belittled? You don't, do you?" She shook her head. "That's very sad, Jayne Cobb."

 

"Don't need your pity," Jayne muttered, feeling a little ashamed despite himself.

 

"Good. You don't have it." River spun on her heel and went back to the dressing room to get Nettie.

 

When the girls came back out and went to the counter to pay for their items, Jayne strode over to the dressing room, where one of the irritable salesladies was cleaning it out to put discarded clothing away.

 

"Hey," he said, feeling self conscious in a way he didn't like. "There a pink dress back here?"

~*~

River stood outside the store, she and Nettie loaded down with bags. "Honestly, he has a tantrum when he sees this establishment and now we have to wait forever for him to come out. Is he worried someone will see? For someone who claims not to care what others think, he certainly-"

 

The door opened and Jayne came out, scowling with a pink bag in his hand. He held it far away from his body, as if he didn't want to be contaminated by its contents.

 

"Here," he muttered and handed the bag to Nettie.

 

Frowning, the little girl opened it and gasped, pulling out a long pink box that held the dress she'd danced in. "Oh! This is so-"

 

"I know," Jayne said, sourly. "Spent money I been savin' to get you that. So wear it and shut up."

 

The three of them started to walk back to the ship and Nettie reached out to take his hand. "Thank you, Daddy."

 

" _I ain't your gorram Daddy_!" He shook the girl's hand off and walked slightly ahead of them the rest of the way to _Serenity_.

 

The little girl's eyes filled with tears. "He doesn't like me."

 

"It's okay," River said softly, hiding tears of her own. "He doesn't like me, either."


	4. Chapter 4

The day started out with River and Nettie cleaning up Shepherd Book's old room so the girl could have a place of her own to sleep. It hadn't taken too long so Nettie had to be given another project. Mal had the little brat running errands for him now, running from one end of the ship to another relaying messages or making sure the others were doing their work and reporting back to him.

 

Watching her dash through the common area, Jayne scowled. All that she seemed good for was being a pain in the ass. When he'd said something to that effect earlier, the doc had said, "Well, then there's no doubt as to her parentage now." It'd made everyone laugh harder than the joke really deserved and that had put Jayne in an even fouler mood.

 

Since the shopping trip, he'd been avoiding both girls. Luckily, neither of them tried to talk to him, though the littler one would look at him sadly while the older one would give him nasty looks he had no problem giving right back to her.

 

Nettie ran up the stairs and Jayne's scowl deepened. He'd spent all that money on that gorram dress and she wasn't even wearing it.

~*~

"You 'bout ready to sleep, Miss Nettie?" Mal asked as the little girl nodded off at the table for the third time.

 

"I think so, Cap," she said, blinking sleepily.

 

"Well, you go on off to bed, then," he said gently. "You let us big people worry about clearing the table."

 

Nettie slid out of her seat and kissed River's cheek, surprising her. "G'night, Mommy."

 

"Goodnight, Nettie," River said softly and raised her hand to gently stroke the child's hair. She glanced over at Jayne who was tensing up in case he should receive a goodnight kiss too and he only relaxed when Nettie left without even a glance towards him.

 

"You're not really gonna leave her in an orphanage, are you Cap'n?" Kaylee asked, sounding sad.

 

River watched Mal rub his forehead. "Can't say as I know just yet what I'm gonna do, Kaylee," he said. "She can't stay here. The black's no place for a little person."

 

"But she's taken to it so well," Kaylee argued. "She ain't complainin' about bein' bored or gettin' inta stuff she shouldn't. It's like she was raised on a ship and knows all the do's and don'ts already."

 

Mal let out a breath. "That's all true, but I don't think havin' her around is a good idea. She tends to rile up folk."

 

"Not everyone!" Kaylee glared over at Jayne. "Just _some_ people."

 

"She'd quit rilin' me if she'd quit sayin' I'm her pa. And I'm _not_ ," he snarled, anticipating any arguments.

 

"There's one way we can know that for sure," Simon said.

 

"How's that?" Jayne sounded curious despite himself.

 

"A blood test."

 

"Oh, hell no. We aren't doin' any blood test," Jayne snapped.

 

Kaylee blinked at him. "Why not? Then you'd know for sure that she's not-"

 

"I already _do_ know for sure!"

 

"And how's that Jayne?" Mal asked, barely keeping his patience.

 

Jayne slammed his fist on the table. "Cuz I don't let my fishes fly free, that's why!"

 

Everyone at the table took a moment to wince at that thought before each of them slowly recovered.

 

"I- I wouldn't have to draw any blood from you," Simon said with difficulty, being one of those who hadn't quite recovered yet. "I already have a sample from everyone on the crew. I'd just need to draw some from Nettie."

 

"No."

 

They all turned to see the little girl standing in the doorway. She didn't look as sleepy as she had before and River smiled a little to herself. She'd performed the same trick at Nettie's age, faking sleepiness in order to slip away and surreptitiously spy on the adults and their conversations.

 

"Thought you were in bed," Mal said, letting his tone show how he felt about little girls who didn't go to bed when they said they were.

 

"I'm on my way," Nettie told him and then looked at Simon. "I don't want a blood test, Unc- Simon. 

 

"It doesn't hurt," Simon assured her.

 

Nettie shook her head. "That's not why I don't want one."

 

"Why don't you want a blood test, sweetie?" Inara asked.

 

"Because Da- Jayne doesn't want one." Nettie played with one of her braids and missed the looks of surprise everyone sent each other.

 

"I don't understand." Simon frowned. "Don't you want everyone to know for sure who your father is?"

 

"It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks," the little girl said looking up and fixing Simon with her sharp blue-eyed gaze. " _I_ know who my daddy is."

 

Mal sighed. "But your daddy ain't exactly in agreement with you on that."

 

"I don't care!" The girl's eyes filled with tears. "If he doesn't want one, I don't want one either!" She turned and ran off to her room.

 

No one said anything for a long moment. Then Kaylee stood and started collecting dishes and everyone drifted out of the room to go off to their bunks for the night. River stayed behind and waited until Jayne was the last out of the room and she followed him.

 

"Stop taking it out on her."

 

Jayne paused and looked over his shoulder at her. "The hell are you on about now?"

 

"Nettie." River folded her arms and cocked her hip out to the side, expressing her displeasure as much as she could through body language. "Stop taking your hate for me out on her."

 

His eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not."

 

Oh. River let her arms fall. "Then why are you being so nasty to her?"

 

"I'm no nastier to her than I am ta anybody else. Leeme 'lone, I'm goin' ta bed." He tried to move on but the girl grabbed his arm.

 

"Yes you are! You're meaner to her than you ever were to Simon and me. What's the matter with you that you have to be so antagonistic to an eight year old girl?" She searched his face, trying to read what could be wrong in his facial expression.

 

But he misinterpreted what she was trying to do. "You stay the ruttin' hell out of my head," he growled. "It ain't any o' yer gorram business."

 

"It's my business if she's my child," River snapped without thinking.

 

" _What the hell is your problem_?" Jayne boomed. "She's not your child! You know that!"

 

She was just as startled by her response and it took River a moment to formulate a response. "I- I know that. Intellectually. But my heart tells me that-"

 

"Oh, don't give me that _go se_. Your heart," Jayne said scornfully.

 

Embarrassed, River felt her face heat up. "My heart tells me a lot of things. Maybe you should start listening to yours too!"

 

Jayne stared at her. "You really _are_ insane."

 

"Never mind." River shook her head. "I should've known it would be a waste to talk to you. Just stop being so mean to Nettie."

 

As she walked away, Jayne called after her, "Why do you want it to be true so much?"

 

She stopped and thought a moment. When she was about to respond, Jayne answered for her. "Is it cuz you wanna think it'd be possible to turn me into a better man? Have me fall in love with ya and make babies and be all happily ever after?"

 

His mocking tone brought tears to her eyes and she spun to face him, angrily. Seeing her face, his smirk fell away. "Aw, it's true, ain't it? You-"

 

"Why do _you_ want it to be false so much?" she shot back, willing her tears not to fall. "Is it because you're so selfish you'd rather not share time and resources with anyone you can't get something from? There's no obvious benefit from being kind to a child, is there Jayne? So why should you, huh?!"

 

"You go ahead and believe what you want," he said, blank-faced.

 

"I will. Since it's not like you'll tell the truth. For _once_." She didn't wait for a response and didn't hear one as she continued on to bed, where she was sure she'd lay awake for hours, thinking of more things she could have and should have said.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hi."

 

Jayne turned his head and saw Nettie standing there, looking at him shyly. He grunted in response and went back to lifting his weights. "Whaddya want?"

 

"It looks like you could use a spotter."

 

Before he could stop himself, he snickered at her joke but then scowled. "I ain't some sideshow freak; go gawp at that 'uncle' o' yours if that's what you're lookin' for."

 

The girl didn't say anything for a long moment. Then, "Simon asked me this morning if I was sure I didn't want a blood test."

 

He didn't respond, hoping she'd give up soon and walk away. But of course, she kept right on yapping.

 

"I told him that I didn't want one." She played with one of her braids.

 

Jayne waited and the girl still wasn't going anywhere. "If you're lookin' for a prize, you're in the wrong place."

 

"What _happened_ to you?" Nettie blurted, making Jayne freeze. "You've always been mean but you were never mean to _me_. If, if this is a different universe or something, I'm trying to figure out what's changed? Was your daddy mean to you, too? Did he do something to make you-"

 

Seeing red, Jayne put the weight back in place and sat up, nostrils flaring. The little girl's eyes widened and she took a few steps back.

 

"My past ain't _none_ o' yer business," Jayne snapped. "So just shut it."

 

"B-but if something happened to you, you should-"

 

"Your ears plugged girl?! I said _shut it_!" Standing up, he strode over to her and grabbed her arm. "If your parents didn't teach ya to mind grown ups then I guess I'll-"

 

" _Cap_!!" the girl screamed, startling him. He'd never heard so much fear and anguish in anyone's voice before. " _Cap_!!!"

 

Hurried footsteps from overhead made him look up; the girl's cry had called more than Mal, who looked furious. Kaylee and Inara had come out of the shuttle and River and Simon had come out of the infirmary.

 

"What in hell's half acre is goin' on here?!" Mal demanded.

 

Jayne let the girl's arm go and she went running to Mal, jumping up into his arms. "He's not my daddy," she sobbed into his shoulder. "He's not my daddy!"

 

Mal held the girl close and sent a dangerous look Jayne's way. "We're gonna have a talk later," he said in the quiet tone he used only when he was really, really mad.

 

"I didn't- Nothin' happened! I just-" Kaylee shot him a disappointed look and followed Mal as he carried the girl away. "She was all..." He trailed off, figuring no one was going to listen to him.

 

He shouldn't have grabbed her arm so hard. He'd just been so _mad_. He was never going to forget that horrible look of fear in her eyes.

 

A light touch on his arm made him look up. He was surprised to find River standing before him, an understanding look on her face.

 

"Do you see now?" she asked, gently.

 

Jayne swallowed, not sure what she was talking about. But then he started to really think. He'd been operating under the assumption that the little girl was crazy, maybe another government product like River or something. He never stopped to consider that maybe the girl really _believed_ what she said. And he'd shaken that belief that, come to think of it, hadn't been all that harmful in the first place. 

 

"I think I'm startin' to," Jayne muttered.

~*~

Mal carried the girl to his bunk and gently laid her down on the bed, Kaylee hovering just behind him.

 

"Kaylee, can you go get somethin' from her bunk that'd be a comfort? Does she got anything like that now?"

 

Kaylee nodded. "I got her a teddy bear when you and Zoe were off on that job."

 

"That'll work. Go on and get it." Mal turned back to the crying child curling up in a ball on his bed and pulled the covers over her tiny form. "Shhhh. It's okay now."

 

"I wanna go home," Nettie moaned.

 

Mal nodded. "I know. We're gonna work on doin' that, darlin'. For now, you just rest." He looked up and caught a quick glimpse of Kaylee closing the door. "Kaylee's gettin' your bear right now."

 

"Could you tell me a story?" the girl asked, softly.

 

He cleared his throat, feeling awkward. "I don't think I know any kid-friendly stories."

 

"What about one of your poems?" Nettie asked.

 

"How do you know about-"

 

"Do the one about the kingdom by the sea. I like that one." She sniffled a little and looked up at him with those big blue eyes of hers that Mal sighed, giving up on denying her.

 

"'It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea, that there lived a maiden whom you may know by the name of Annabel Lee. And this maiden she lived with no other thought than to love and be loved by me.'"

~*~

Kaylee slid the door open and crossed the tiny room to the bed Nettie made neatly every morning and scooped up the bear. She'd named it Kaylee, after her. Poor little thing. Kaylee hugged the bear, thinking about how confusing this had to be for a child. Hell, she was confused by it all and she was a grown up.

 

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Seeing the source, she gasped.

~*~

"'And so all the night-tide, I lay down by the side of my darling - my darling - my life and my bride. In this sepulcher there by the sea. In her tomb by the sounding sea.'" The poem wasn't exactly something Mal would describe as a comforting bed-time lullaby, but it had certainly lulled the girl to sleep.

 

Kaylee came back in quietly and handed him the bear, which he rested next to the girl's head on the pillow. Standing up, he started to say something but was brought up short by the somber look on Kaylee's face.

 

Before he could ask, she handed him a capture.

 

A much older Jayne and River smiled back at him, Jayne holding Nettie in his arms and laughing as she made faces at the camera and River with her arm around a boy who looked like a miniature version of Jayne, maybe eleven or twelve or so.

 

Mal looked back up at Kaylee.

 

"She was tellin' the truth," she said, simply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Annabel Lee" is by Edgar Allan Poe. :)


	6. Chapter 6

_"You're it, you're it!" Vee Washburne sing-songed, darting amongst crates stacked along the dock._

_Nettie pounded after her, furious. "You cheated! There's no tag-backs!"_

_"Didja get that in writing?" Vee called gleefully over her shoulder._

_Now she was_ really _pissed off. Nettie stepped up her pace until she was on Vee's heels. With a snarl, she tackled the girl to the ground._

_SLAM._

 

"You're _it," Nettie said smugly and hopped up. "No tag backs!"_

_Vee groaned and stayed where she was on the ground, curling up in a ball._

_Uh oh. "Vee?" Nettie knelt by her friend's side, "Sainted Buddah, Vee, are you okay?!"_

_Swift as a striking snake, Vee's fist shot out and caught Nettie right in the nose._

_"Ow!" Nettie screamed. "It was an accident, you psychopath!" Tears spilled down her cheeks but that wasn't the only liquid on her face. Dabbing gingerly at her nose, she saw her fingers were blood streaked._

_Vee flipped onto her back and started to get up. "So was that. My fist accidentally got you in the nose. Maybe you should watch where you're-"_

_She didn't get much farther because with an angry growl, Nettie shoved her. Before toppling over, Vee reached out and grabbed a handful of Nettie's shirt and brought her down with her when they landed on a stack of Blue-Sun crates. One of them broke open and Nettie found herself lying in a puddle of who knew what. It could've been medicine, it could've been a new cola drink._

_"Hey, you kids!" Two Alliance federals ran over to them. "What do you think you're doing?"_

_The girls hastily jumped to their feet, hearts pounding. They exchanged a look and both came to the same conclusion: run._

_"Get back here!" one of the federals shouted but that only made them run faster. They only slowed when they reached_ Serenity.

 

_"Think we lost them," Nettie said, nervously._

_"No thanks to you," Vee snapped and gave her a shove. "Why do ya hafta play so rough, huh?!"_

_Nettie's mouth fell open. "That's funny coming from you!"_

_"Why you skinny little-"_

_"HEY!" Nettie looked around and saw Daddy coming their way, scowling. "The hell are you two arguin' about?"_

_"Nettie knocked me down so I had to belt her one!" Vee exclaimed._

_Daddy's eyes narrowed. "That so? Reckon it was you two that started that hub-bub that's got the Feds in a twist. They're askin' after two kids that look like you." He surprised Nettie by leveling his glare at her. "We don't need that kind o' attention. I'd expect_ you _to understand that, Serenity."_

_Mommy and Uncle Simon had been running from the law for years, he meant. Nettie should know; she looked too much like her mother so that if an updated Wanted notice appeared on the Cortex, she couldn't leave the ship if they were on a Core world._

_"I'm sorry, Daddy," Nettie said, quietly._

_"You should be," Daddy snapped. "I thought you was growin' up but apparently you're still a little kid who I can't trust on her own for five minutes."_

_Nettie bristled. "I'm not a little kid! I'm eight years old!"_

_"Then start actin' like it!"_

_"Why do you always take everyone's side but mine?!" Nettie shouted, stomping her foot. "You like Vee better than me!"_

_"Now that ain't even got a grain of truth in it."_

_"Yes it does!" Nettie's eyes filled up with angry, frustrated tears. "You don't love me anymore."_

_"Of course I-"_

_"No you don't!" Nettie wiped at her bleeding nose and made a face; her hand had still been wet with that weird Blue-Sun crap. "I hate you."_

_Daddy made a grab at her but Nettie skipped back just out of his reach. "Serenity Jane Cobb, you-"_

_She didn't hear the rest; she turned tail and ran. She wasn't sure how long she was running for and finally she stopped in an unfamiliar warehouse district._

_Stupid Vee. Stupid Daddy. Stupid everybody. They wouldn't care if she ran away. Maybe there was a circus somewhere she could join and maybe train dogs or something. Sniffling, she sneaked into a warehouse through one of the windows and looked around. There was a canvas sheet covering some boxes in the middle of the room. She took that and dragged it over to a corner where she bunched it up to make a kind of nest._

_"Nobody needs me," she muttered and curled up, falling asleep._

__

~*~

_"Where the hell is she?!" Jayne threw his leather wristband on the ground in frustration, hands shaking. "We been lookin' for hours!"_

_Jamey came running up to him, breathless. "We just got done checkin' the warehouses and she ain't in any of 'em, Pop."_

_"Keep calm, Jayne," Mal said. "We've asked around and anyone who finds her knows to send her our way. She'll be back in a few hours after she's mellowed a bit."_

_"Shouldn'ta yelled at her," Jayne muttered to himself. He pressed a shaky hand to his forehead. "Sh-she was bleedin', Mal, and all I did was stand there 'n yell. 'N she was scared since she 'n Vee had that run-in with the Feds..."_

_"Feds?" Jamey repeated. "Do you think the Feds got her?"_

_Mal winced at the horrified expression on Jayne's face and gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Jamey, how 'bout you go find yer ma and offer her some comf-"_

_But a rustling from overhead caught their attention and they saw that River had come out from her and Jayne's bunk, eyes rimmed red from crying. "I can't feel her," River said brokenly. "She's not here anymore."_

_"Babydoll," Jayne said, tone low, "Is she... is she dead?"_

_River nodded, looking uncertain. "To this world." Then she burst into anguished tears and it took Jayne, Mal, and Jamey to put her back in bed and some of Inara's tea to lull her to sleep._

__

~*~

_Nettie awoke and sensed that she'd been sleeping a long time. She shifted around on her piece of canvas and felt something in her overalls' front pocket poke at her. Curious, she pulled it out and saw it was the capture she'd had taken in the market a few hours before she and Vee had played their disastrous game of tag._

_She looked at her smiley happy family and felt a pang of homesickness. It was time to go home and take her medicine._

_Slipping the capture back into her pocket, she headed back to the dock. Unease started to curl up in her belly along the way. None of the stalls were looking familiar. People couldn't have packed up and left and had someone else set up in the space of time she'd been gone._

_The other docked ships were different, too. They looked_ wrong. _She continued on, trying to be brave. What would Cap do? He wouldn't start bawling, that's what. He'd find the ship and have a funny story to tell, to boot._

_Relief made her sag when she finally found Serenity. Aunt Kaylee was even sitting out front but she looked... different._

_Younger._

_Confused, Nettie stared at her a long moment. Maybe that cream she put on before bed time was starting to work? She took a few cautious steps toward her and asked, "Is he mad?" If she could get to Mommy first, then Daddy wouldn't be as angry. Mommy could talk him into anything._

_“Who? Oh!” For some reason, Aunt Kaylee looked off down the street. “No, sweetie of course not.”_

_That didn't sound right; he should be spitting fire after some of the things she said. “But he said-”_

_“He don’t always mean what he says.” Aunt Kaylee smiled reassuringly and Nettie stared at her, unnerved by how_ young _she looked._

_“Maybe I’ll just go for a walk,” Nettie said. She glanced up at the ship uncertainly and then back at Kaylee._

_“Okay, hon,” Kaylee agreed._

_Nettie backed up, staring at the ship._ Serenity. _This was the right place. But... why did everything feel off? She dashed away, trying to think. How many hours had she been gone? Maybe... six? Seven? A million? Nettie didn't have a watch and she cursed under her breath._

_Maybe one of Aunt Kaylee's sisters had been at the market and they'd run into each other. After catching up, Aunt Kaylee's sister sat out front and pretended to be Kaylee as a joke on Nettie for being so bad earlier. That was it! That had to be it. Nothing else made sense._

_Nodding, Nettie went back to the ship and was relieved to see that Aunt Kaylee's sister wasn't there anymore. She crept back to her room and was confused to see her things weren't there; this all looked like Mommy's stuff._

_Too exhausted both emotionally and physically to give it much thought, Nettie curled up in bed and fell asleep._

__

~*~

_"Jayne."_

_There was no reply._

_"Jayne, we gotta be on our way if we wanna make rendezvous."_

_"I ain't leavin' without my daughter."_

_"We got the Linus brothers lookin' for her, Mrs. O'Malley put up a sign in her shop, and we've looked this place up and down, Jayne. I don't like this any more than you do but... we got folk here we need to feed. We have to go on with this job."_

_"She's my daughter, Mal," Jayne said pleadingly. Mal hated hearing Jayne sound like that._

_"I know. I'm sorry as hell, Jayne, but-"_

_Without a word, Jayne went back on board the ship, no doubt blaming himself for Nettie's disappearance._

_Worried about the little girl himself, Mal sighed deeply and turned to follow Jayne, not 100% comfortable with his own decision. They'd just have to wave the Linuses every day and come immediately back here after the job._

_What else could they do?_


	7. Chapter 7

"Don't suppose buying her another dress would solve things, would it?" Jayne asked without much hope. He'd slumped down onto his weight bench and River stood at his side, gently rubbing circles into his back. Felt kinda nice.

 

"No," River said. "I'm afraid it's not going to be that simple."

 

"Naw. Nothin' ever is, is it." He rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

 

Kaylee came out on the catwalk and called down, "River, Cap'n wants everyone in the mess in five minutes. If you could get everyone down there for me, that'd be nice."

 

"This meetin' got to do with Nettie?" Jayne asked, looking up.

 

Fixedly, Kaylee kept her eyes trained on River's face. "So if you could do that quick, I'd appreciate it."

 

"Are you ignorin' me?" Jayne asked in disbelief. Dumbstruck, he watched the girl he considered a friend spin on her heel and march off. "Aw, hell."

 

"Kaylee doesn't stay mad long," River said, patting his shoulder. "She'll forgive you once you start making amends for how you treated Nettie."

 

Jayne narrowed his eyes up at her. "That reminds me: Why're you on my side all sudden-like?"

 

River blushed slightly. "I'm not on your side. I'm simply sympathetic to your position."

 

"Again, I'm askin' _why_."

 

She stiffened and took a step back. "As your only ally, you shouldn't be trying so hard to alienate me."

 

"I'm not tryin' ta turn ya into an alien; I'm just askin' a simple question," Jayne said, frustrated.

 

"It should be perfectly obvious by now," River snapped back.

 

"Well, I guess I'm too stupid and you'll hafta spell it out for me," Jayne growled.

 

"It's because I care for you, alright?!!"

 

They stared at each other in stunned surprise before River delicately cleared her throat. "I'd better go get Simon. I'll meet you upstairs."

 

"I'll. Uh. See ya." Jayne watched River walk quickly to the infirmary and he hauled himself to his feet, unsure if he was going to be ready for this meeting after the bombshell River dropped on him.

~*~

Mal stood quietly at the head of the table for a long moment. Everyone stared at him and the unease in the room was palpable. Finally, Mal held up a capture in his fingers. "Look," he said simply.

 

"Yeah, I seen it. It didn't work, remember?" Jayne said, frowning.

 

Nostrils flaring, Mal spun the capture down the table until it landed in front of Jayne. The merc lifted it up to his disbelieving face.

 

It was him. Older him. Older, happier him. And Nettie. And a boy who looked exactly like him when he'd been twelve. And River without the babyfat in her cheeks but still pretty as hell.

 

"This real?" Jayne asked uncertainly.

 

"Yes." Mal's jaw clenched, waiting for Jayne's outburst.

 

Instead, Jayne kept looking at the picture. "Make a nice lookin' family, don't they?"

 

That seemed to throw Mal's plans out the window and his face flickered with uncertainty before going back to his hardassed expression. "Yes. Yes, they do. And after the way you treated that little girl-"

 

"She's really mine."

 

No one said anything for a long moment. Finally, Jayne said, "If she's mine, we ain't sendin' her to no orphanage. You want her off your ship so damn bad-"

 

"I don't!" Mal exclaimed.

 

"Then we'll send her to my ma," Jayne finished like Mal had never spoken at all.

 

Simon frowned, glancing at River's face which was getting increasingly more consternated by the moment. "Are you sure that's a wise decision?"

 

"Dammit, I'm her father and I-"

 

"No, you're not." Nettie stood in the doorway, clutching her Kaylee bear.

 

Mal frowned a little but said not unkindly, "What'd we say about little girls playing possum?"

 

Nettie took a few steps into the room, eyes never leaving Jayne's face. "You're not my daddy."

 

Jayne held up the photo for her to see. "Look, this says I am."

 

"No it doesn't," the girl said stubbornly. "You're not him."

 

"Close enough!" Jayne snapped and rounded on Simon. "Do a blood test, doc. She'll see."

 

Simon looked warily at the little girl. "Nettie? Will you submit to a blood test now?"

 

"Yes. But it won't change anything." The little girl finally looked away from Jayne to address Mal. "Thanks for letting me use your bunk, Cap."

 

"You're welcome." Mal nodded at her.

 

"You come get me later," Simon told her. "Once you're ready, we'll do the test."

 

"Do it now," Jayne demanded.

 

"I wasn't speaking to you," Simon said, voice tight from restrained anger. "I was speaking to my nei- to Nettie."

 

"It's okay, Simon. I'll do the test now. Meet ya down there." She turned and walked away, shoulders drawn up and back bravely.

 

Jayne looked down at the picture again, staring almost in puzzlement at the joy in his older double's face.

~*~

Simon dabbed at Nettie's arm and placed an adhesive bandage over where he'd just drawn her blood. "There. All done."

 

Nettie watched him go about his work. "It's weird to see you doing this without Nova."

 

"Who's Nova?"

 

"My cousin."

 

He turned to face her, curious. "My daughter?"

 

"My uncle Simon's daughter," Nettie gently corrected him.

 

Although she was technically right, it still stung a little that she wasn't considering him family any more. "So this Nova wants to be a doctor?"

 

"Yep. She's really, really smart."

 

Simon was quiet and went back to work, thinking about the ring he was hiding in his drawer and thought that maybe he was getting a little closer to getting up his courage to ask for Kaylee's hand.

~*~

Jayne found River waiting outside the infirmary for Nettie and cleared his throat. The girl stiffened and sent an awkward smile his way before quickly looking away.

 

"You're not gonna start in on the silent treatment too, are ya?" Jayne asked gruffly.

 

River shook her head. "No. I... I just feel foolish. Don't mind me."

 

"Don't need ta feel that way. I'm not gonna pick on ya or nothin'." He looked glumly into the infirmary and watched his daughter-not-daughter scrunch her face up and look away as Simon stuck a needle into her arm. "Learned my lesson about that the hard way."

 

"She was very close to her father," River said softly. "He called her 'little bit'. They would play together. Having you reject her..."

 

"Were you close to your pop?" Jayne asked, wondering if maybe this was a girl thing.

 

River shook her head, looking sad. "He loved me but we didn't have a special bond or anything. Not like Simon and me." She tilted her head to the side. "Were you?"

 

"Hell, girl, I never even _knew_ your pop." Off of her exasperated look, he chuckled and sobered quickly. "No. Me 'n him weren't close."

 

"Is that maybe why you were so intent on not being a father to Nettie?" River asked tentatively.

 

Jayne thought about that a moment, looking down at his boots. "Maybe." He didn't shrug River away when she gently squeezed his arm.


	8. Chapter 8

While the doc did what he had to do with Nettie’s blood, everyone else went their separate ways to wait for the news. Feeling suddenly awkward around River, Jayne decided to follow Nettie up to the mess to see if he could take another crack out of getting a word out of her.

 

He walked in just as Inara was teasing Mal. “The opera has a rich, cultural history, Mal. Its beauty is incomparable to any other thing in this universe.”

 

“And it’s a big damn bore,” Mal finished. “I hate it.”

 

“Have you ever attended an opera?” Inara challenged him.

 

“I’ve never had red-hot pokers jammed in my eye sockets neither but you don’t see me linin’ up to give it a shot.”

 

Nettie watched them both in interest. “I’ve attended an opera before!”

 

“Have you?” Inara smiled at the girl. “How did you like it?”

 

“It was beautiful!” the little girl’s eyes shone, making Jayne smile a bit from his spot in the doorway.

 

“Do you remember any of it?” Inara asked.

 

Nettie grinned. “Well, I didn’t understand it but it sounded a little like…” The girl opened her mouth to sing and Jayne prepared himself for off key shout-singing children her age did during Christmas pageants. Always gave him a damn headache.

 

But the sound that came out of the girl’s mouth sounded like it came from heaven itself. He used to sing a bit when he was a sprout but he didn’t think he’d ever sounded as good as his daughter did at that moment. Her face glowed brightly as she sang and it was the first time he’d seen the girl look truly happy the whole time she’d been with them. Without thinking, he took a few steps forward, unsure what he was going to do but feeling the need to get closer.

 

Nettie caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and promptly clammed up.

 

“You can’t stop there,” Mal protested. “Keep going, it was sounding nice.”

 

Inara looked from Jayne to Nettie. “Please continue, sweetheart.”

 

“No, I… I think I’ll go find River and play checkers.” Nettie turned to leave but Jayne was still blocking the stairs leading out of the room. “Excuse me.”

 

“Sing a bit more ‘n maybe I’ll think of movin’,” Jayne said.

 

“Jayne.” Mal’s tone could’ve shattered rock. “Move.”

 

“Why the hell am I the bad guy here?!” Jayne protested. “I thought some kid was tryin’ to pin parentage on me and I fought it like any man would! Why’s that make me a villain, huh?”

 

Mal didn’t allow himself to react. “Move before I _make_ you move.”

 

For a moment, Jayne stared at the captain to weigh his options before deciding to shuffle out of the little girl’s way. “Ya sounded pretty,” he muttered as she went by.

 

‘Thank you,” she said stiffly.

 

Jayne watched her go and ignoring Inara when she started to speak to him, he decided to spend his time waiting in his bunk for the test results.

~*~

Simon stood outside the infirmary, spotlighted by the others’ attention. “I have the results," he said.

 

“Yeah, we knowed that part, get on to what they are,” Jayne said through clenched teeth.

 

“Calm,” River whispered and placed a hand on the middle of his back. Surprisingly, it worked to settle him down some.

 

“The results are irrefutable,” Simon stated. “Nettie is a Tam-Cobb.”

 

Jayne pointed at the little girl. “Told ya!” When she didn’t so much as look at him, he lowered his arm, feeling foolish. He muttered to River, “Could use a back pat now,” and immediately received one, though it looked like she was trying her damndest not to smile.

 

“However…” Simon’s brow creased. “There are some irregularities in Nettie’s blood that are a little concerning."

 

“Is she sick?” Kaylee asked fearfully. “Nettie, honey? Have you been feeling okay?”

 

Nettie looked worried herself at this news. “Fine. A little sleepier than I usually am, but…”

 

“Yeah, seems like all it takes is you sittin’ down and you’re out like a light,” Mal mused.

 

“Perhaps we should see what’s going on. We still have some equipment left over from when Jayne had his, er…. sleep difficulties. Perhaps we can find the source of her problems.”

 

Inara placed a gentle hand on Nettie’s shoulder, seeing how frightened the child was by the happenings around her. “Will you be okay with that, Nettie?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Nettie set her jaw and clenched her fists to try to hide her shaking.

 

“Okay then.” Simon stepped back into the infirmary and beckoned Nettie inside. “Let’s go.”

 

“Now?” she squeaked.

 

“No time like the present.”

 

“Okay, I- Cap?” The child turned to Mal. “Will you hold my hand?”

 

That stung Jayne a bit and he stared hard down at the ground. River knew a backpat wasn’t going to cut it this time around and looped her arm around his waist.

~*~

“All right, Nettie?” Simon asked.

 

Nettie squirmed on the table, unnerved by the suction cups on her forehead. “Fine.”

 

“All right. Just relax and fall asleep. Nothing here will harm you. You’re safe.”

 

Holding tight to Mal’s hand, Nettie stayed wide awake. “Cap? Another poem?”

 

“You already heard my best one,” he gently teased, ignoring the interested look the doctor gave him.

 

“But I can’t relax,” Nettie said, sounding a little distressed. “I’m worried.”

 

“About what?”

 

“I don’t know!” she exclaimed miserably.

 

“ _If I had words to make a day for you, I’d sing you a morning golden and new_.” Everyone in the room turned in surprise at the figure in the doorway. Jayne ignored the two grown men and focused on the little girl, continuing to sing. “ _I would make this day last for all time and give you a night deep in moonshine._ ”

 

Nettie relaxed and closed her eyes. Before dropping off to sleep, a little tear slid down her cheek.

~*~

“So what was that?” Mal asked outside.

 

Jayne hunched his shoulders. “Something my pa used to sing to me when I was little is all. Used to calm me down some.”

 

“That was real sweet,” Kaylee said admiringly.

 

“Surprisingly, yes, it was,” Inara agreed.

 

Jayne’s ears turned red. “Can we quit talkin’ ‘bout how sweet I am.”

 

“I'm fine with that,” Mal said.

 

Looking over at River, Jayne caught before everyone else when she stopped laughing along with the others and her eyes went slightly out of focus.

 

“You all right?” he asked her, reaching for her arm.

 

“Going back to her own world,” she whispered, seemingly speaking to herself.

 

“What are you-?”

 

An alarmed shout roused everyone’s attention and they looked into the infirmary to see Simon run from the machinery out of sight to where Nettie lay. Jayne was the first one in and stopped in his tracks at what he saw.

 

Nettie lay where they’d left her on the examining table and yet… she _wasn’t_ there. She appeared to be a clearish shade of gray. Like she was fading.

 

“Nettie!” Jayne shouted.

 

The child stirred and the color started to seep into her skin and hair once more. She blinked awake and stared at all the adults crowded together staring at her.

 

“What?” she asked, frowning.

 

Mal folded his arms. “You’re gonna tell us _everything_ that happened the day you disappeared.”

~*~

“Some wacky chemical?” Mal muttered. “That don’t… Can they do that?”

 

“If the government can turn a young genius into an assassin, I wouldn’t put anything past them,” Simon answered.

 

Everyone, save Nettie and River, was gathered in the mess talking over this latest development.

 

“I don’t like it,” Jayne said, flatly.

 

“No one does,” Zoe said.

 

“The Alliance can do a lot of damage with this kinda weapon,” Mal said grimly.

 

“Who says it’s a weapon?” Kaylee asked. “Maybe they’re gonna use it so folks can go to alternate worlds and settle. Free up some space here.”

 

“Maybe,” Zoe said, sharing a look with Mal and not looking completely convinced.

 

“What concerns me is the side-effects,” Simon said. “The subject could have an adverse reaction. I mean, this chemical actually _changed_ Nettie. Her body’s fighting the substance, however. I think that’s what’s happening when she falls asleep.”

 

“So it’s okay for her to fall asleep?” Kaylee asked. “Maybe it’ll take her home!”

 

“Or maybe it’ll transport her somewhere a hell of a lot worse than where she is now. She fell asleep in that warehouse and woke up in it. What if she falls asleep in the infirmary and wakes up in space because the ship in her time ain’t there to be around her? That’s… that’s all kinds of messed up right there.” Mal rubbed his forehead where a headache was forming.

 

Jayne kicked the chair across from him. “Then what the hell do we do?! The kid needs to sleep!”

 

Mal sighed. “We put her on watch. Let her sleep and if she turns any grayer and really starts disappearin’, we wake her up. River’s got first shift. Who wants next?”

 

“Me.” Jayne stood up. “I’ll go and check on ‘em right now.”

 

“Okay.” As Jayne left the room, Mal asked, “Who wants to be next?”

~*~

Jayne quietly opened the door and slipped inside without making a sound. “How is she?” he whispered.

 

River looked up from staring intently into Nettie’s face. “Fine. She hasn’t turned gray yet. She isn’t in her REM cycle either, so maybe that has something to do with it.”

 

“Why don’t you go to sleep, too.” Jayne sat down on the floor. “I’ll watch over you.”

 

“But it’s my turn,” River protested.

 

Jayne shook his head, looking at the little girl. “No. It’s mine.”

 

Studying him a moment, River nodded and lay down, draping an arm across Nettie’s chest. The girl moaned in her sleep and turned to face Jayne, murmuring. 

 

“Thank you, Jayne.”

 

“Hey. Gotta keep my girls safe.”

 

River’s eyes glittered before she closed them, cuddling her pseudo-daughter closer. She fell asleep with a smile on her face and Jayne felt damn proud to have been the one to put it there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight shout out to 's awesome Sleep Study series. Also, yes, the song Jayne sings was used in Babe. I don't know, I can see him as liking it. It's soothing and mentions moonshine after all. ;)


	9. Chapter 9

They were back on Persephone and had landed there just as the sun was rising. It’d been a month since they’d last been here, a month since they’d found Nettie snoozing in River’s room. It was probably the last time the kid got any decent sleep. Now she was woken up several times a night by River or Jayne. It was starting to take a toll on her; she had dark circles under her eyes and nodded off more and more often at the dinner table.

 

The only good thing was Nettie wasn’t acting all stiff around Jayne anymore. He wasn’t exactly her best buddy either, but she at least could smile once in awhile. Shy, tired little smiles and he’d pat her head awkwardly like she was a puppy dog and automatically feel like a dumbass. But she didn’t take it wrong, just kept on eating her meal with one of her little smiles on her face.

 

“Back here again?” Jayne muttered to Mal as the ramp lowered to the dock.

 

“’Nara’s got an appointment,” Mal said tersely, striding down to the ground. “And I’m gonna wander a bit, see if maybe I can find Monty someplace. Think he said somethin’ last time about bein’ ‘round here at this time o’ year.”

 

“What the hell am I supposed to do?” Jayne groused, not liking this unorganized visit.

 

“Do what you always do,” Mal shot over his shoulder as he walked away. 

 

Zoe stopped by Jayne as she arranged her gun belt around her waist. “If you know what’s best for you, you _won’t_ do what you always do.” She glanced meaningfully into the ship. “You got a good thing going here. Don’t ruin it now.”

 

“What makes you care so much?” Jayne asked but without malice.

 

“You’re crew,” Zoe said simply and then set off to follow Mal.

 

Jayne stood there and considered that. No, goin’ off to the bars or the whorehouses wasn’t the best idea. He and River hadn’t exactly talked about what was starting to develop between the two of them; most of their conversations were about Nettie. And they hadn’t done anything yet other than light touches. She was the one who touched when everyone was awake, but he saved his touches for their private moments, looking after Nettie.

 

He would lightly brush her shoulder when they switched shifts just so he could see her smile. He’d trace the line of her cheek while she was sleeping, then the curving tilt of her mouth, down to her chin, her neck… then he’d force himself to stop. There was a child present, after all. _Their_ child. Sort of. How was he gonna explain all this to his ma when he just barely understood it himself?

 

Anyway. Point was, whatever he had with River, he didn’t want to wreck it before it could become even more by being stupid. 

 

A delicate cough pulled him out of his musings and he looked around to find Nettie walking into the cargo bay. She was wearing the pink dress he’d bought her and he grinned widely to see her in it. Guess it wouldn’t be collecting moth balls after all.

 

“Don’t you look all dressed up?” Jayne said, folding his arms and putting on a fake scowl. “Where do ya think you’re goin’, young lady?”

 

Nettie looked nervous a second and he was about to tell her he was playin’ when she got the message herself and grinned before arranging her features into a look of disdain. ‘I’m going out with one of my gentleman friends.”

 

“The hell you say!” Jayne exclaimed. “Not until I meet him!”

 

“You’re not my lord and master!” Nettie placed her hands on her hips. “I can see who I want whenever I want!”

 

Jayne took big, striding steps toward her. “We’ll see about that.”

 

“EEEEEEEEE!” Nettie ran away, laughing hysterically and he went after her. Not at his usual speed; it was just a game after all.

 

“Get back here, missy!”

 

“Nooooooo!” She ran giggling all around the cargo bay and the sound attracted River, who watched them with an indulgent smile on her face. He and Nettie had never played like this before, but it felt nice after all the tension they’d been feeling. Maybe that’s what made this so fun.

 

“Gonna getcha!”

 

“No you’re not, no you’re not!”

 

Rounding the bay for the third time, Nettie suddenly collapsed to the ground. Jayne turned pale and ran to her side. What the hell had she tripped over; the way was clear and her boots were tied! It hadn’t even looked like she’d tripped, looked more like she’d been a little puppet and some son of a bitch had cut her strings.

 

“Nettie honey?” He turned her over and her eyes were shut. Giving her a shake, she didn’t move as she was deeply asleep. Before his eyes, her skin turned gray and she became more and more transparent. “No, come on! Stop it, wake up!” 

 

“Jayne!” River hurried to his side and held onto his arm as Nettie continued to fade. “There’s nothing we can do now.”

 

“She has to wake up!” Jayne shouted at her. “Remember?”

 

“We’re on land now,” River said sorrowfully. “I think we’ve put off the inevitable for too long. She doesn’t belong here.”

 

“But…” The weight in his arms got lighter and lighter. Soon there was nothing left of her but an outline. Jayne stubbornly refused to lower his arms, however. “We was just startin’ to…”

 

“I know.”

 

Another ten seconds passed and Nettie was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

When Nettie woke up, she was on the dusty, disgusting cargo bay floor. She saw Kaylee sweep up yesterday; how could it have gotten dirty so fast? Sitting up groggily, she started wiping dirt off of her pretty dress. Jayne would get mad if he saw she’d let it get stained.

 

Speaking of Jayne, where was he? Nettie got to her feet and frowned around the room, as if expecting her not-father to leap out from behind a crate and tell her it was her turn to hide next. Usually he shook her awake just as she was finally falling asleep.

 

Sleep. That’d be _so_ nice. And for once she didn’t have an audience so there was no danger in getting woken up.

 

Yawning, Nettie stumbled back to River’s room and slid the door open, not paying attention to her surroundings as she fell on the bed and curled up in a fetal position. She was asleep in seconds.

~*~

Jayne had his arm wrapped around River’s shoulders as he held a picture of Nettie up to the man selling dog meat. “You seen this girl?”

 

The man peered at the picture. “Is there a reward?”

 

“I don’t punch you in the face,” Jayne snapped. When River whimpered he hugged her apologetically and said in a softer voice, “Mister, she’s our daughter. We just want her back.”

 

“I’m sorry.” The man shook his head and poked at the meat on the grill. “I haven’t seen her.” He pointed across the way. “The woman there speaks to children every day. If anyone’s seen your girl, it’s her.”

 

“Thanks,” Jayne said and steered River over to the woman standing outside a covered tent, smoking a cigar and looking bored. She was draped in lots of mismatching fabric, some of it wrapped around her head and the sign hanging on the front of the tent said her name was Madame Topaz.

 

Madame Topaz’s face lit up when she saw Jayne and River and she hastily stubbed out her cigar into a jug and held her hands out to them. “Sweet lady, you are searching for someone… someone dear to your heart who has been missing a long, long while!”

 

Jayne rolled his eyes. “Save it.” He held up the picture. “Have you seen this girl?”

 

Her face fell, but Madame Topaz recovered herself well and took Nettie’s picture from him to look at more closely. “Yeah, I saw her. About a month ago. Went running by here in tears; I tried to offer her some tea but I don’t think she heard me.”

 

“Which way was she heading?” Jayne asked eagerly.

 

Theatrically, Madame Topaz pressed a hand to her forehead. “It… it escapes my memory at this time. Perhaps if we went inside and I consulted my crystal, we-”

 

“ _Where’s my daughter_?!” Jayne barked.

 

“She was heading for the warehouses!” Madame Topaz took a nervous step back from Jayne. “Anything else I do not know. I don’t even know her name!”

 

Jayne glared the woman down. “Her name is-”

 

“Nettie!” River’s face lit up.

 

“That’s right,” Jayne nodded. “Nettie Cobb. So if you see her, you tell her that her ma and pa want her home right away.”

 

“Nettie!!” Jerking out from under his arm, River showed more energy than she had in a month and went sprinting away.

 

“River!” They didn’t have time for this! They needed to go to the warehouses and there went his moonbrain wife runnin’ off in the wrong direction! Jayne followed after her.

 

Their flight caught the attention of Mal, who jogged alongside Jayne. “What’re we runnin’ for? We suddenly health conscious?”

 

“Don’t know,” Jayne wheezed, not used to running long distances and too old to start that up now. “River’s just… got…”

 

The two men decided that a conversation just wasn’t worth it and followed River back to the ship. She ran by her son Jamey and the two eldest of the Tam children and they followed the chase as well.

 

“Where’s she headed?”

 

“Looks like Nettie’s old room.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Jayne growled. “It’s _still_ her room.”

 

When Jayne opened the door, his heart stopped beating. He watched River kneel by the bedside, where Nettie lay on the bed, grubby and wearing a pink dress. River looked up at him, eyes shining.

 

“She’s home,” River whispered.

 

Jayne swallowed hard and went into the room. Mal and the other kids stayed in the doorway, somber and silent. Jayne knelt down by River’s side and reached out to gently shake Nettie’s shoulder.

 

“Nettie,” he said softly. “Time to wake up, bit.”

 

Nettie moaned and slapped his hand away, rolling to her side. “Nuhhhh, Jayne. You ‘n River _never_ lemee sleeeeeep.”

 

Snorting, Jayne said, “What, you disappear for a month and suddenly you’re too grown to call us Mommy and Daddy?”

 

The girl fell still, her breathing picking up. “Daddy?” she whispered.

 

“That’s me. Open your eyes, little bit.”

 

“I’m afraid to,” she said, voice breaking. “Last time I opened them you weren’t you. And I want you to be you, Daddy.”

 

Was River’s shattered sanity genetic after all? “The hell you on about, girl?”

 

Nettie blinked her eyes open and Jayne’s was the first face she saw. He smiled warmly at her, eyes crinkled.

 

“Hey there.”

 

Bursting into sudden tears, Nettie launched herself into his arms. “Oh, Daddy, I’m so sorry I said those mean things to you before I went away; I didn’t mean it, I swear! I was just mad and stupid and I was a bad girl and you can punish me and I’m _so sorry_!”

 

“Shhhh,” Jayne rubbed her back gently and looked up to find Mal herding the kids away, knowing that this was a private moment that was nobody’s business but theirs. “Where you been all this time, bit? We looked everywheres for you.”

 

“I was right here,” Nettie sniffled. “With you and Mommy. But you didn’t like me. Mommy believed me, though.” She turned and pulled away from Jayne a little to wrap her arm around River’s neck, tugging her parents into a group hug.

 

“Sounds like a bad dream,” Jayne commented. He smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. “Why didn’t I like you?”

 

“I don’t know. Because you were scared, maybe.” She cuddled between her parents and yawned again. “I’m tired.”

 

“Wait. You’re not makin’ any sense, here. Whaddya mean you were _here_ the whole time with us?”

 

Nettie’s eyes were heavy as she lay back down again. “Can’t e’splain it now. ‘M tired. Stay? Both of you?”

 

“We’ll stay,” River promised. “We’ll be here when you wake up. And you will, too.”

 

“Good.” Nettie squeezed River’s hand and fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	11. Chapter 11

It had been a week since Nettie disappeared back to her own world. At everyone’s initial sadness at the child’s absence, Simon had suggested that perhaps she would return, albeit briefly, as her system tried to shake off the lingering effects of the drug. They kept their eyes peeled but after five days with no sign of the little girl, the only people still clinging to that notion were Jayne and Kaylee.

 

River _wanted_ to believe Nettie would return but in her heart of hearts she knew her girl was gone. There was only one way she and Jayne could ever get her back. Well, perhaps not exactly her, but a rough facsimile. 

 

She wasn’t terribly surprised to find that after she put Serenity on autopilot, Jayne was in the cargo bay, staring at the spot Nettie had disappeared in his arms.

 

“Jayne,” River said gently. “Stop doing this to yourself.”

 

“Ain’t doin’ anything,” Jayne said gruffly, not looking at her. “Just standin’ and mindin’ my business. You should do the same.”

 

His harsh words made her flinch. Since Nettie’s disappearance, the warm contact they’d been sharing with each other had abruptly ceased. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that she didn’t mind, she couldn’t quite delude herself.

 

“But I’m worried about you,” River admitted, wondering if she should really be this honest with him. 

 

“Don’t need to be.” Jayne set his jaw stubbornly. 

 

“I know. But all the same, I can’t help it.”

 

Jayne didn’t answer, just folded his arms and pretended she wasn’t there.

 

“Please.” River lightly touched his bicep. “I’ve already lost her. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

 

“You never had me _to_ lose.” He could’ve said that in his usual churlish tone but instead he sounded sad, alone. River wasn’t entirely sure which was worse.

 

“No. I guess not.” She stared at the spot with him for awhile. “I… hoped that I had, though. It seemed that way.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “You called me your girl.”

 

Jayne closed his eyes. “I was wrong.”

 

A little flame of temper sputtered to life inside River. “No you weren’t.”

 

Her sharp tone made him open his eyes and glare at her. It was the first time he’d looked at her in a week. “ _Yes_ , I was.”

 

“ _No_ , you weren’t!”

 

“Gorramit!” Jayne snapped and jabbed his finger at her. “What the hell is your problem, Crazy?!”

 

She rolled her eyes and threw her arms out. “Great, it’s back to ‘Crazy’ now, is it?!”

 

“Guess so! If this is what it takes to prove to ya that there ain’t nothin’ between us then I’ll go there!” Jayne started to turn away but River’s hurt expression made him pause.

 

“Why are you acting this way?” River asked, shaking her head uncomprehendingly.

 

He sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling before returning his attention to her. “What makes you so sure we could be a ‘we’ in the first place?”

 

“This does.” She pulled Nettie’s family capture out of her pocket and showed it to him.

 

Pain flickered in his eyes a moment before attempting bored dismissiveness. “That ain’t us.”

 

“Not at present, no. But it could be.” She took a step toward him and he shuffled back uncomfortably.

 

“That’s a whole ‘nother universe, a different River ‘n Jayne. We can’t have that,” Jayne said quickly.

 

“But we _did_ have it, remember? We were a functioning family unit when we looked after Nettie, making sure she didn’t disappear while we were out in space. Because of us, she was safely returned home.” River moved closer and this time Jayne stayed where he was as she looked up at him with wide-eyed sincerity. “You didn’t fail her.”

 

“But she left,” he said, casting his gaze to the floor.

 

“As she was supposed to. No one blames you for any alleged wrong-doing. So give yourself a little credit for what you did right. Buying her the dress, listening to her songs and complimenting her on her voice, being kind when she wasn’t giving you any kindness in return…”

 

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah. I did good, huh?”

 

“You did real good.” River nodded and reached out for his hand, linking fingers with him. “Could you maybe… do good by me, too?”

 

When surprise made his mouth fall open, she blushed but didn’t break eye contact. “Do right by you?” he croaked.

 

“I mean,” she said silkily and stepped closer so they were separated by a mere inch. “You called me your girl and you haven’t paid any attention to me in a week.”

 

At her low, flirtatious tone, Jayne blinked once stupidly and then grinned. “That’s right. How can I start doin’ right by you, then?”

 

“Girls like being kissed,” River said, tilting her head to the side. When he didn’t respond, her confidence faltered. “You… don’t kiss on the mouth. I almost forgot. Or, rather, I remembered, I just hoped that… Maybe I could- But if not…” She tried to pull her hand free but Jayne’s grip tightened.

 

Reaching out, he cupped her cheek and gently tilted her face up. “I don’t kiss on the mouth, that’s a fact,” Jayne said. “But that’s only cuz I never met anyone worth it before.”

 

Smiling widely, River closed her eyes and accepted the warm, sweet kiss Jayne placed on her lips and sent out a heartfelt thank you to the little girl who had brought she and Jayne together.


	12. Epilogue

River walked down the aisle, clutching her bouquet of flowers as everyone turned to stare at her. Unused to the attention, she ducked her head but peeked up through her lashes at Jayne, who smiled at her. He looked so handsome dressed up in his best; she’d long since done away with the striped shirt he wore when he visited brothels. Now he stood at the altar dressed in the sky-blue button up shirt and clean slacks they’d argued over at a border-world mercantile before he’d finally given in.

 

They’d both come such a long way…

 

Once River reached her place, the organ music started in earnest and everyone stood to get a glimpse of the bride, beaming as her father walked her to the altar.

 

“Kaylee looks so beautiful,” River murmured to Simon.

 

“Yes, she does,” her brother said, looking stunned.

 

“You did pretty good there, Doc,” Jayne agreed and winked over at River, who bit her lip to hold back a giggle.

 

The ceremony was short and sweet, giving time for River to have a nice, long stare at Jayne. She didn’t think they were ready for marriage themselves quite yet, but it was promising how he wasn’t looking panicked; just calm as a summer’s day as he watched his surrogate little sister get married. 

 

No one would object to their union, not even her brother. Judging by how Simon had made Jayne his best man at his own wedding.

 

_Someday_ , River told herself as Jayne caught her gaze and smiled warmly at her. _Maybe even someday soon…_

~*~

Men at a long conference table flipped pages in the little blue notebooks placed in front of them. The man at the front of the table, wearing glasses and a frown, took a sip of water and cleared his throat.

 

“Next order of business: Agent 42. The board moves to discontinue the creation of the chemical?” He peered down the table at a nervous little man with a comb-over. “Is that correct?”

 

“Yes, Mr. Chairman,” Comb-over said. “One hundred test subjects were administered the drug in a controlled experiment. However, only forty of those hundred returned. The returnees reported constant drowsiness during their trip and were unable to accomplish their simple objectives. The continued production of Agent 42 would be ill-advised and would not help support the best interest of the Alliance.”

 

The chairman sighed. “All right then. Anyone second the motion?”

 

A chubby man raised his hand.

 

“Vote?”

 

A chorus of ayes was met with a tired nod. “All opposed?”

 

Silence.

 

“All right, then. Next order of business: The new taxes on marijuana…”

~*~

As time went on, Nettie’s time away from home started to seem more and more unreal. No matter how often she insisted she’d been in another world, no one would believe her, not even when Simon tested her for the chemical and found traces of something, but not what. As soon as he said the words “possible hallucinogenic,” everyone was convinced it’d been a dream.

 

Nettie tried to tell herself it had been. How strange to think she could visit a world in which her parents weren’t married and she herself didn’t exist! She told herself the fiction that when she was eight years old, she’d disappeared for a month, drugged and kidnapped by an unknown entity, then set free to stumble home.

 

She told herself this every day. And then one day she believed it. 

 

But she still never played tag on the docks ever again.

THE END


End file.
